Campus News

The Ninth Annual Archbishop J. Michael Miller Lecture presents "Budget Wars & Culture Wars: What the 2012 Election Means for the American Future." With only six weeks until the presidential election, Ross Douthat, the youngest-ever op-ed columnist for The New York Times, will present at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 at the University of St. Thomas in Jones Hall, 3910 Yoakum Blvd.

"The Archbishop J. Michael Miller Lecture of 2012 is poised to address the 'tipping points' of the national elections virtually on our doorstep," said Sr. Paula Jean Miller, director of Catholic Studies and professor of theology. "The issues to be determined, both on the federal and state levels through voter choice, require intellectual acuity, but are also charged with emotion."

Douthat’s insightful political commentary will thoughtfully examine issues at the heart of the November 2012 elections. Douthat's premise is that Americans have never separated religion from politics, but it makes a difference how the two are intertwined.

"When religious commitments are more comprehensive and religious institutions more resilient, faith is more likely to call people out of private loyalties to public purposes, more likely to inspire voters to put ideals above self-interest, more likely to inspire politicians to defy partisan categories altogether," Douthat said. "But as orthodoxies weaken, churches split and their former adherents mix and match elements of various traditions to fit their preferences, religion is more likely to become indistinguishable from personal and ideological self-interest."

Douthat is the author of "Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics" and "Privilege: Harvard and the Education of the Ruling Class." He also co-authored "Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream." Before joining The New York Times, he was a senior editor for The Atlantic. He is the film critic for National Review, and he has appeared regularly on television, including on "Charlie Rose," "Newshour" on PBS, "Real Time," and "The Colbert Report."

"Each year, the Miller Lecture honors a Catholic professional expert who has overcome the dichotomy of faith and life and risen to greatness precisely by embodying the values of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition in professional practice," Miller said. "Ross Douthat investigates the issues and dares to present views that do not coincide with the Times’ political stance."

The event is free and open to the public, and no reservations are necessary. Parking is available in the Moran Center garage for $2. For more Information, contact Sr. Paula Jean Miller, FSE, at 713-525-6989.

Sponsored by the UST Catholic Studies program, this lecture is made possible through the generosity of the John W. and Alida M. Considine Foundation.